Load-lifting device



Nov; 22, 1927. 1,650,118 A B. F. FITCH LOAD LIFTING DEVICE Filed sept. 5o, 1924 ssheets-sheet l FIG.-1

Nov. 22, 1927. 1,650,118

B. F. FITCH LOAD LIFTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 30, 1924 5 Sheets-$116612 gft/vento@ @m WQ a @ma attoznua N0v. 22, 1927. V 1,650,118

. B. F. FITCH LOAD LIFTING DEVICE Filed sepf. zo, 1924 s Sheets-sheet s @Hom/tmf Y Patented This invention relates to improvementsin Nov. 22, 1927.

Tias #PATENT ferries.

BENJAMIN yF. FITCH, or GREENWICH, coimncrionr.

1.oiin-Lirifrive` DEVICE.

Application filed September 3041924. Seriall'o.. 74:0,'93. i l

hoisting mechanism andis primarily concerned with the construction of means for` facilitating` the engagementof a load,-such 5 vas a removablel automobile body.

The use of removable rautomobile bodies as containers for transporting freightas a unit from one distributing point to another.

. is a satisfactory arrangement wherein all of the freight-,in a container is consigned toone destination transporting an entire automobilebody ory Tcyavoid the necessity of breaking bull: in the `event onlyV a fractional load is consigned to one sirable to use fractional ranged to be mounted Y the 'same `manner as lthe entire container. y Y.

handled' in destination, yit is `desized containers ar on a truclr, and'tobe rIhe general object ofA myrinvention is the provision readily adjustable to.' various sizes. this, -without the independent. hoisting cables,

can adapt apparatus of effective station :equipment handlev containers of My invention accomplishes affecting the relationship Aof and thus, I hoisting and conveying handling of fractional existing for' the sized containers.v Y One of the means forcarrying out my object is' illustrated in the accompanying drawings and is ingk description, whil detail in the followthe` essential characsetforth in teristics are summarizedin .the claims.

t Inthe drawings, Fig.

mechanism embodying showing a 1 is aside elevation hoisting my invention and illustrating the use thereof upon a similar elevation illustrating the use upon a-L fractional-sized container;

full-sized container; Fig. 2. is a Fig.l 3 is. an' end view of the cradle to which my invention may be att-ached;

showing a Fig. Llis va side elevation. part of the cradle; andy Figs. 5

and 6 are sections taken onthe correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 4 In carrying out my invention, trated a cradle,

.I khave illusof articulated form having longitudinal members or beams 10 rand 11 which 'are connected at the ends by transverse members`12 and 13, respectively. The

particular illustrated rial No. l(5? ,531, liled construction of' 'the cradle is in my copeiiding'application, Se-

VApril 22, l921, and

Y is kshown herein merelyV in connection with the improvement for facilitating the handling of various sized containers.

In Fig. ing suspen 1 ded by Cables M which depend .are more fully' `mounted upon av i form of mechanism k35. Thus the load enga the cradle is illustrated'as be` pivot, yet `is caused `to from an oveihead'traveling crane'indicated in general at 16. The crane is arranged to Vtravel on an overhead trackway 17 which extends overa truck runwayV 18. Accordingly, a truck indicated at19-havinga removablebody or containerQO .thereonmay enter the runway transversely thereof, and

then theeradle lowered over` thecontainer so l as to bring the load-engaging members 21 thereon vinto engagement with ,engageable deviceA 22 yon .the containerfor enabling the latter to Aber'aised vfromthe truck. I have shown the load engaging members ,'21` carr'iedvby-th'e cradle as comprisinganwar dly facing hooks, andthe cooperating devices 2 2 onv the body `as comprising short longitudinal bars .carriedin conveying pockets 23 in members24 set intothe body ladjacentthe vupper edge. Such lpocket members shown yand describedzandzare claimed in my March 4th," 1924.;

V:Referring Inow to I Figs.'r rto, vI -have shown the cradle as ha-'ving f longitudinally 'en-f,

i, tending members 125 which dependy from brackets 26. These brackets support sheaves over Whichthe cables are varranged v to pass,

A and also Yprovide ,a pivotal connection for one end of transverse spreading members 27 and 28 respectively. Thelongitudinallyen Y tendingmembers 25v are yshown as l `I be:linris,

To permit adjustment ofthe load engaging members for enabling ,one-cradle to be different sized containers, I provide mechanism for effecting movement of the load engaging members, with relation to the longitudinal cradle beams.

for effecting this operaused to engage tion is shown in Figs. 4

va shaft 3 5 which may extend longitudinally Lof the beam 25 and be journaled to suitable bearings at 36. Each load engaging member then may have an extension 37 which has a threaded lopening to receive the shaft ing member is pre- `a out the bar 30 as a vented from swinging be moved longitudieach of which is arranged tosupport Etwo i,

load engaging A .ferred .form,each gmem-ber Q1 is l.slidablyA lOO One

and 5, as embodying IGS nally of the bar whenever the shaft is rotated.

To rotate the shaft 35, I have shown a chain wheel 38 rigidly mounted upon the shaft and adjacent the end of the beam 25, and I have illustrated a hand chain 39 passing over the wheel. As shown in Fig. 3, independent chain mechanism yis provided for actuating` the load engagingmembers on each side of the cradle. This permits the two members on one side of the cradle to be lowered over the top of the body and the a hinge of the spreading members drawn up,

the hooks 2l :pass inwardly beneath the pocket bars 22. The point'of engagement of the hook with thepocket bar, being preferably directly below the cradle bar 30, the load may be Alifted without placing` any stress on the screw shaft 35.

yIf the mechanism is to be used tor lifting a sectional container, as shown in Fig. 2, then the shafts 35 are rotated by actuation ,3 rof the hand r'chains-'39 until the associated hooks" 21 are moved inwardly sufliciently to register with the pockets on the container -at 20?. Y The container maythen be raised in the usual manner.

In view of the foregoing description it will be evident that my invention provides a'meclianism-xvliich enables one cradle to be used for engaging various sized containers and quickly changed from one setting to another. No change whatsoever is required in the mechanism which supports and hoists the cradle.

Having thus described claim 1. In combination, a hoisting cradleV comprising a pair of spaced beams, screw shafts my invention, I

carried by said beams, load engaging mem- Y bers threaded onto the respective shafts,A

the underside of each side bar, a longitudinal bar mounted in each pair ofbracketaa rotatable screw mounted in 'the same pair 0 1: brackets,

and a hook slidably mounted on the bar carried by the brackets and having Y Va nut engaging the screw.

3. A hoisting cradle comprisinga pair of supportingv bars, means for spreading them while maintaining them parallel to their normal position, `a pair of aligned bars supported by each supporting bar beneathl the same, a. hook'on each of said aligned bars, land a pair of mechanisms carried'by the respective supporting bars for shiftingr the hooks on that'side toward or from each other. l

4t. In combinatiorna hoisting cradle having laterally spreadable beams, brackets depending therefrom, bars supported inthe brackets, inwardly facing hooks slidably mounted on .the bars, and means carried by the cradle for selectively moving the hooks along the bars with relation lto the cradle;

.In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiiX my signature.

Y v BENJAMIN F. FITCH. 

